LA’s Biostatistics and Data Science Training Program (LA’s BeST)

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ABSTRACT Health disparities in our nation are acute, increasing, and known to be caused by many factors. A multi- faceted approach by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists is needed to properly tackle this chronic and growing problem. Increasing the diversity of biomedical research scientists is one key strategy to address this crisis. With the current deluge of health-related data and a projected 34% growth in the job market for statisticians from 2019 to 2029 (Bureau of Labor Statistics), now is the time to diversify our workforce in the specialties of biostatistics and data science. Herein, we plan to expand the pool of students from underrepresented groups in these disciplines by introducing a new curriculum for teaching critical skills in biostatistics and data science, LA’s Biostatistics and Data Science Summer Training Program at the University of Southern California (LA’s BeST @USC), with a focus on current research challenges in the study of heart and lung disease. The Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Preventive Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) is uniquely positioned to attract talented undergraduates from underrepresented groups into these fields due to its success in graduate level training since 1976, its location in the ethnically diverse LA Basin, its multi-disciplinary research in diverse populations, and real-life oriented approach to biomedical research. The faculty has expertise in ‘big data’, machine learning, epidemiological methods, spatial statistics and clinical trials, and has an NIH-funded P01 to develop novel statistical methods for integrative genomics. Training a diverse workforce of scientists requires a diverse faculty. A team of faculty from backgrounds including women, Latinx, Japanese American, and first in their family to attain a college education, who all share a tradition of individual hands-on research mentorship and extensive portfolios of research grant support in biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical trials, and electronic health records, is amassed and available to trainees. With this team, we propose the following specific aims: 1) To identify and recruit high-quality and highly motivated college undergraduate students from underrepresented groups. 2) To provide the trainees with courses and hands-on training in biostatistics and data science. 3) To provide mentoring and professional development training. 4) To track LA’s BeST trainees through completion of their undergraduate degree, post-graduate education, and to their first employment.